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Lowriders in Space

Submitted by jenna on Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:53pm

A car-care team consisting of mechanic Lupe Impala, detailer Elirio Malaria, and polisher Flapjack Octopus have dreams of opening their own garage, but sadly, they don't have the dinero. (This book is pimento'd with Spanish phrases.) Then they learn about a car building contest and work their magic.

The story itself isn't super sophisticated, nor should it be. There are many complex elements: information about lowriders, astronomy, Chican@ culture, and swirling illustrations that take up the whole page. So you don't need the facade of a gets/loses/gets back plot. It's a book about process. :)

I like that the mechanic is a woman, and that the three partners work well together. I appreciate the Spanish slang and Mexican-American lore you pick up along the way, but that it doesn't feel like it's written for a Caucasian gaze. The author and artist are matter-of-fact about their fantastical tale, and still keep in mind their young audience's sense of humor.